Gear, roll, and the like and method of making the same



reb. 24. 1925,

E. J. GUAY ET AL GEAR., ROLL, AND THE LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 5, 1922 Q ClarenceW Man-1 @Mw Inventors EmleJGuag Patented Feb: 24, 1925.-

" EMILE J. Guay, or LYNN, AND

`CLARTIBNCII,W. .MANSUR, OF MALDEN, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

GEAR, ROLL, AND THE LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application led May 3,

Methods of Making the Same, of which the b following is a specication.

The present invention relates to gears, rolls, etc., in which the outer or working portion. is composed of highly compressed spinnable textile fibres and the inner or carrying'portion of metal. i

The object of the invention Vis to improve the construction of devices of the character described whereby waste of material is eliminated and the cost .of the manufacture reduced. A further object is to improve the method of lmanufacturing such gears, rolls, etc. 'f

For a consideration of what we believe to be novel and our invention, attention is di'- rected to the accompan ng specification and the claims appended t creto.

In the attached drawing, Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a relatively narrow strip of woven fabric from which the outer portion of the device is made; Fig. 2 is an end view of a former on which the strip or ribbon is wound; Fig. 3 .is a side view'of a finished gear blank or roll; Figs. 4 and 5 are side and edge views ectively of the ribbon prior'to its application to its support; Fig. 6 is a partial view of the peripheral surface of the central support showing onefway of roughening it; Fig. 7 is afragmentaryV view of a gear, and Fig. v8 is a partial view of a 40 press.

In carrying out the invention, we utilize relatively long, straight sided, narrow strips 10 of material which are coated with abinder, which binde-r after the material is subjected to heat and pressure, is capable of solidifying and retaining the material in a highly compressed state. Ordinary good quality canvas or duck composed of spinnable textile fibres has been foundto be a satisfactory material for .the purpose but inthe broadest aspects of the invention,

1922. serial' No. 558,283.

materia-lsA other than the above may b'e used, as paperfor example. The material used will depend largely upon the purpose to which the finished product is to be put.v

- Bakelite or equivalent material as a binder has ybeen found suitable for the purpose but other binders which will meet the rigid requirementsof this class of apparatus may e used. We may and generally do start with materia-l in sheet form but we can use narrow ribbon-like obtainable. It is preferable tov coat the sheets with the binder before cutting them into strips because it prevents their edges and the edges of the small pieces from fraying out. In coating the sheets withbinder, care should be.. taken not to permit the binder to penetrate to the heart of the individual fibres because. it would make thembrittle, and in a gear or roll of the character described, dependence is placed on these fibres for elasticity and for strength.

lDue to the cost of the textile material, it is important to cut the same in such manner that there will be no waste. One way for doing Athis is illustrated. After the strips areproperly formed they are cut on a bias or diagonal 11 as shown in Fig. 1 to formY relatively small pieces 12 having two parallel and two non-parallel sides. The angle of the cut depends upon the diameter of strips when they are the support for the material. The-best results are obtained when the angle of the cut is radial to the centerof the support or carrier when the material is mounted thereon. The pieces when cutin the manne-r described form isosceles trapezoids. Alternate pieces are then reversed in position so that all of the short sides are along the lower or inner edge as shown in Fig. 4. The pieces `are then assembled brick-fashion into a ribbon with overlapping joints and slightly overlapping upper l or outer ends. The next step -is to stitch the piecestogether as indicated by the dotted line 13, the stitching being preferably below the center line of the ribbon thus formed. As anillustration the line of stitching may be approximately one quarter of the distance from the inner to the outer edge of the ribbon thus formed.-

The purpose of this stitching is to arrange the fibres, however they mayhave been initially assembled, in such position that they will occupy their proper places on the support. It' also facilitates the handling of the small pieces and serves to hold them on the forming drum in a compact mass. The

ribbon, it will be noted, comprises two lay-l meeting edges. It is to obtain this-nice litting of the edges without special operation that care should be exercised in selecting the angle of the cut. Fig. 2 shows clearly the relation of the pieces one to the other.

'After the requisite number of turns is wound on the former 14 the ends are temporarily secured to prevent unwinding. The former with its winding is then set on top of the final support 15 as shown in Fig. 8, with the axes of the two in alinement. In order to facilitate the transfer from tihe former to the permanent support the fabric ribbon and the binder are heated until the latter gets rather soft and sticky.` Pressure .the press.

to cure or set is then applied to the helix by a ram 16 or other means and the transfer 4effected, at the same time compressing the fabric covering to approximately its filial height. This preliminary pressure is then released and the former 14 removed after which the support 15 with its partially pressed up covering is put in the final press. This pre.-

liminary pressure and the sticking together of the layers of fabric'by the binder make it possible to handle the partly finished product without diihculty. In the final press the fabric covering is compressed to the desired degree, and in this connection it should be remembered that in weaving the -fabric the fibres are given substantial amount of preliminary compression. At the same time that Vpressure is applied, heat is also applied so as to insure proper consolidation of the mass. The next step is to permit the mass to cool and the binder to harden while under heavy axial pressure. This cooling may be effected more rapidly by permitting water' to run through the platens of The effect of this operation is the binder so that the fibres of the canvas or other material are held in a highly compressed state.

When the finished device is to be used to transmit power as in a gear for example, it

is-important that there be a large number of torque transmitting points between the metallic center and the textile outside portion or covering and alsoimeans for holding the fabric against axial movement in the holder. As an illustration, this may be done by forming circumferential grooves 17, Fig. 6, in the flange 18 of the center member. Additional grooves 19 to aid in the trans'- mission of torque are also formed at right angles to those first mentioned. When the textile material and the binder are subjected to heatv and pressure it has the effect of causing the same to enter. thesev grooves to an extent sufficient to cause interlocking of the outer and inner members or parts of the finished structure at a great many points. The center member is provided with a hub 20vanda web 21,r If desired, the weight of the hub maybe decreased by casting il; with numerous holes 22 therein. The h ub may be secured to its shaft by keys or other means.

After the structure has'been cooled it may be machined in the ordinary manner and teeth cut in the periphery as shown in Fig. 7. The blanks when properly machined may also be used as friction rolls for various purposes. c

It will be readily appreciated that for a given radial depth of covering for the center support we are able to use the minimum amount of canvas or other covering and eliminate wastage of material which is such a' serious matter where the textile material is first made into laminated sheets or boards and later cut into discs and rings. Where sheets or boards are employed, there is the loss of material at the corners where a circular piece is cut from a square, that due to the cutting tool which has to be of substantial width, and the expense due to cutting operations.` In the case of rings there is also the loss of some or a large portion of the center. These losses are avoided and much more than offset the additional cost of cutting andv sewing the small pieces.

It will also be appreciated that the textile facing or covering instead of surrounding the support may be located inside of it, as, for example, when it is desired to make a gear having internal teeth.

The amount of pressure to which the blank is subjected depends upon the purpose for which the blank is intended. For some purposes We may use a pressure of one thousand pounds per square inch and in others one thousand eight hundred pounds per square inch. These figures are given merely as illustrations and not as limitations of our invention. We have illustrated the textile material as permanently mounted on a oenter support or carrier but it is evident that we can Ina-ke the rings separately and mount them in different ways.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent of the United States, is:

1-. In a device of the character described,

' the combination of a metal support,.a ribbon v united in a manner to break joint, and means for uniting the support and facing and also holding the fibers composing Ithe latter in a highly compressed state. Y

2. -In a device of the character described,`

the combination of a metal support, and a facing therefor composed of short, similar,

'straight sided pieces of fibrous material Which are assembled on the support to form an annulus, said pieces being stitched together in layers, the pieces in each layer breaking joint with those in the adjoining layers, and means for uniting the layers into a compact mass and permanently holding the fibres in a highly compressed state.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a metal support, a ribbon facing'therefor comprising short pieces of textile 'material placed side by side in 4layers ,and which are united in such manner that theribbon can be Wound edgewise around the support, the adjoining pieces in the same plane abutting and breaking joint With those immediately adjacent thereto in another plane, and means for holding the fibers in a ighly compressedstate.

'4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a Central support, .a facing therefor, comprising an edgewise Wound ribbon composed offlayers of small overlapping pieces of woven fabric which have been coated with a binder, each of said pieces b'eing of trapezoidal form, and means passing transversely through the pieces to loosely unite them.

5. In a; device of the character described, the combination of a central support, a 'facing therefor comprising compressed layers of Woven fabric which are united by a bindeig-each of said layers comprising a plurality ofsmall pieces, each of which forms an isosceles trapezoid.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a central support, a fac`- ingtherefor comprising compressed layers of Woven fabric impregnated With a' binder,

y each layer comprising more than one thickness of material composed of stitched together.

7. In a .device of the character described,

small pieces the combinationof a central support having a a roughcned peripheral surface, anda fac ingt erefor comprising compressed layers of woven fabric impregnated by a binder each of saidlayers comprising a plurality of Which are stitched together.

8. In adevic'e of the character described,

the combination ofa central support comprising a hub, web and peripheral fia'ngc, the latter being roughened,I and "a facing therefor comprising layeis of Woven fabric which are held ina highly compressed state by a binder, each of said layers comprising small overlapping pieces of fabric which are initially united by stitching.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a central support having a roughened peripheral surface, anda facing therefor ycomprising a textile ribbon like structure Wound thereon to form a helix, said ribbon comprising a plurality of small pieceseach of trapezoidal form arranged in two layers, said pieces being stitched together and arranged to break joint, and means 'for holding said facing in a compressed state.

l0. I n a device of the character described, the combination of a central supporty having a roughened peripheral surface, a facing therefor `con'iprising a textile ribbon-like structure Wound thereon to form a helix,

said ribbon comprisime,` a plurality of sniall pieces each of trapezoidal form arranged in two layers, said piecesv being stitched t-ogether and arrangedfo break joint, and a binder for holding the facing in a compressed state Which also assists in uniting the covering With the support. i

11. The method of manufacturing blanks of the character described which comprises -cutting a strip of material into small pieces,

uniting said pieces by stitching, applying said pieces when so united to a. support, and

finally subjecting the same'to and confining` it under heavy pressure.

12. The method of manufacturing blanks of the character described Which comprises cutting a relatively narrow strip of material into small pieces by diagonal cuts, reversing `the yposition of alternate pieces, arranging said pieces in ribbon form with overlapping joints, uniting the small pieces by stitching, applying the ribbon thus formed port, and finally subjecting the same to and confining it under pressure.

13. The method of manufacturing blanks of the character described which comprises cutting a relatively narrovv strip of material into small trapezoidal pieces, reversing the position of alternate pieces, assembling the saine into a ribbon composed of layers with ,the joints lof the pieces overlapping, uniting said pieces by stitching, ribbon'thus formed around the support, and finally subjecting the same to and confining it under pressure.

14. The method of manufacturing blanks of the character described which comprises impregnating a relatively narrow strip of textile material with a binder, cutting the strip-into trapezoidal pieces, reversing the position' of alternate pieces, uniting said pieces to form a ribbon, winding said ribon to form a helix and applying the same toits inalsupport, and finally subjecting to a sup- Winding the 'cutting a relatively narrow strip of textile material into short pieces of similar shape, stitching the pieces together to form a ribbon, winding the ribbon edgewise on a former to form a helix, transferring the helix from the former to its permanent support, and finally subjecting the ribbon to eat and pressure to consolidate the mass and confine it in its compressed state on the sup ort.

16. The method of' manufacturing blanks of the character described, which comprises forming a ribbon of te'xtile libres, stitching the ribbon lengthwise to temporarily unite the fibres, winding the ribbon into a helix, mounting the same on a permanent support, and finally confining the libres on the suport under compression.

17. A blank for the purposes described comprising a .plurality of definitely shaped ieces of woven textilematerial arranged in ayers, means for joining the pieces one to the other 1n the same layer, and a binder which holds the fibers of said layers of material in a compressed state.

18. A blank for the purposes described comprising-a plurality of pieces of Woyen textile-material arranged in layers, each o f said .pieces converging from one edge toward another, means for temporarily joining the pieces, and a binder which holds the fibers of said material in a compressed state.'

19. The method of making blanks for the purposes described which comprises taking a strip of Woven textile material which has been treated'with a binder and which is comp o'sed of definitely shaped pieces joined one to the other, bending the strip in the plane thereof at the joints to form an annular member, assembling the members .in a stack, and finally subjecting the'material to pressure and heat to compress the fibers and cause the binder to harden.

In witness whereof, the said EMILE J. GUAY has setv his hand this 18th day of April, 1922, andthe said CLARENCE W. MAN- son .has hereunto set his hand this 28th day of April, 1922.

EMILE J. GUAY. CLARENCE W. MAN SUR. 

